102 votes Dryden, Ontario
Voting has now ended for this phase, check back Sept 7th to see if your town is in the top 10.
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
Dryden is located in the heart center of Canada in North western Ontario right on Highway #1.
Our community has successfully hosted the PWT tournament and our local yearly Walleye Masters is enjoyed by hundreds of eager anglers. Our small city is known world wide for it's fishing and tourism. Here is a copy of a tourist who recently stayed in one of our local resorts
Excellent Fishing is what you’ll find at ******* Camp, located on Wabigoon Lake. The walleye are biting, the northern are biting and so are the small mouth and musky! The walleye are biting in the afternoon, the northern and small mouth all day, and the muskies are found in the afternoon. The walleye and northern are found in 2 to 12 ft of water, the small mouth in about 1.5 to 2 ft of water and the musky in 4 ft of water. Musky are being found on the weed bays and the small mouth on rock lines. The walleye are congregating on humps and the northern can be found all over the lake. The walleye and small mouth are biting on jigs and minnows, rattle traps and spinners. The musky are biting on Bucktails while the northern are hitting on everything!! Some people were fishing for walleye and then caught about 15 30” to 32” northern and 2 high in the 40” range northern!!! WOW!!! Those were just some of the big fish caught this week. There was also a 10 lb walleye, a couple of 7-9 lb and a 15” and 19” small mouth!!!
This was one of hundreds of forums I found on Dryden and our Wabigoon Lake Chain.
Dryden deserves the 25000.00 because we are a community who loves to fish and cares for our lakes and local wildlife.
If you won, tell us what community project you would spend the $25,000 toward
As a business owner in Dryden I have seen in the past few years a decline in tourism in our area due to many reasons.
Our town would benefit so much with this money to help attract more tourists to our area with new advertising and upgrades to our small city. The municipality, businesses and local community have done so much already to try and bring more people to Dryden with community events, business partnerships in trades many other great ideas. But funding is needed to put many of these ideas to work.
With the recent partial shut down of our local paper mill, many people have been out of jobs and the local moral has fallen a bit. This could really be a boost to our community. rnWe would be honored if chosen and would utilize the money to our greatest advantage to keep people coming to Dryden and experiencing our amazing fishing and outdoor experiences.I have lived here all my life and it is an amazing, incredible and beautiful piece of the world and I love to fish!
Thank you
Kailey Divers
People who support this entry!
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
The City of Dryden, was the host community of the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail, Lund/Mercury Pro-Am Tournament that was held on the Wabigoon Chain of Lakes in 2007 & 2008. We warmly welcomed anglers, both professional and amateur, as well as spectators to Ontario’s northwest for this first-ever held Canadian event.rnThis first excursion into Canada for the PWT resulted in walleye over 8 pounds. Maybe bigger. This sleeper lake about two hours north of the border is home to giant pike, muskie and walleyes. The dark water could house a tremendous shallow bite, but only one pro had ever fished the lake. John Butts, a pro from Dryden, Ontario, was the winner of the 2005 PWT event.
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
Our community would benefit from a $25,000 donation by supporting local sports tourism initiatives, including promoting of our local lakes.
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
Beautiful, peaceful, what moe could you want
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
Give it to the town to spend where needed
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
Dryden is an incredibly friendly and "fish minded" town. What makes us unique is the fact that much of our youth is involved in the great outdoors and are very much interested in fishing and the conservation thereof. This spring a project was concluded by the highschool students which included painting 851 wooden fish with artistic designs that were only limited by their imagination. The students had a rally before the painting began and were inspired by the enthusiastic people who explained to them the importance of conservation as well as the importance to not transport any invasive species. The fish were then hung along the main Hwy (#17) for all residents and passerbys to see. 851 fish is quite an impressive site and people stop and walk along the fence constantly to view the creations. Dryden is literally "carved from the wilderness" and we are very lucky to live in a City that is surrounded by fantastic, clear & pristine fishing waters.
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
If Dryden were to receive the $25,000.00 Community Donation, I think it would benefit us immensely as the money could be used towards more conservation efforts, (ie spawning bed enhancements) and also more educational programs.
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
Dryden has some of the finest freshwater fishing in the world, with a variety of species too numerous to mention. There are large bodies of water, and smaller lakes all within a short radius of the town. You can simply walk or bike down to Wabigoon Lake, and fish right from the dock or from the shoreline. To be more adventurous drive out or portage to one of the surrounding lakes or rivers, or even fly out for a little more seclusion. Of course you can always relax in the boat or canoe, catch a few fish, enjoy a fresh walleye shorelunch or get out there and get at it with exciting small mouth action. It’s always exciting to tackle the renowned muskie or northern pike. These are just a few of the typical scenes you will experience on Dryden’s lakes. People from all over the world come here to experience unique wilderness trophy fishing or just to take a laid back outdoor vacation. While fishing in Dryden you will want to always have your camera ready - not only for those trophy fish, but also for the smiles and memories that can’t be duplicated. You’ll also want that camera for the breathtaking scenery and the sightings of the numerous types of wildlife that you’re sure to see. rnrnHundreds, if not thousands, of families come here each year from throughout Canada and the USA, just to experience the fantastic fishing and to create memories that will last a lifetime. There isn’t a better way to unwind & relax, and to spend quality time with your family. Whether it's walleye fishing for the pan or exciting northern, smallie, or muskie fishing action you seek, you will find the fishing experience of a lifetime is waiting for you in the Heart of Canada's Great Outdoors - Dryden, Ontario.
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
Dryden would benefit immensely from this $25,000 prize by continuing to promote the town & surrounding area, as the finest freshwater fishing location in North America. Marketing dollars are getting tougher to come by and we are now competing with vacation destinations around the world. Marketing plans are in place, but we require the funding to put these plans into action. This $25,000 prize would go a long way to keeping Dryden and area on the map, as a location where you can enjoy the fishing experience of a lifetime.
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
We are in the middle of the greatest fishing in North America
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
Greatly
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
Not only is Dryden located on an extraordinary lake for several species of fish including walleye, Wabigoon Lake, but is also in the heart of 100's of lakes that are provide the ultimate fishing experience. I am lucky enough to have a cabin on one of these lakes and feel so lucky to walk out my door, jump in the boat and go fishing! Anyone who has visited our beautiful wilderness city and surrounding area will agree that our town has the whole package and should be named the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada.
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
Ou town is very proud of the community we have built. We are truly a community that works, plays and comes together in good times and bad. A community donation would allow us to further develop the sense of community that our town has. Whether it is used for beautification, sports/recreation, cultural, eduacational or historical purposes, it would be put to good use. Dryden is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and winning this would help commemerate and recognize this milestone.
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
I have only been resident in Dryden for 18 months but in that short time I have had the opportunity to learn to fish. Somthing I had never done in my 36 years in the UK. I think Dryden is uniquely positioned amidst thousands of clear, fresh fish abundant lakes. You'll always see trucks and boats with anglers of all ages getting ready to hit the lakes. We have the best Walleye fishing in the world, I think we are Canada's Ultimate fishing town!
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
$25,000 could help in many different ways. We could help youth into the spot of fishing and offer many recreational opportunities for all.
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
I think Dryden is the Ultimate fishing town because we have so many options on where to fish as we have many different lakes, we can fish off one of our docks in town, on the shore of one of the lakes or even go out in a boat! There is a variety of different fish to catch, walleye being my favorite. We have a lot of tourists who come to Dryden just to enjoy the Awesome fishing and Great scenery we have.If you know the right spots in the lakes you will always leave with your limit of fish no matter what kind your looking for! I have lived across Canada and there is no better place to go fishing then in Dryden Ontario And i know many people that would agree!
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
I think Dryden would benefit from a $25,000 community donation to put towards putting more things in this town for youth so that there are not so many kids getting into trouble!
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
As the Physician Recruitment Coordinator in my town I have the pleasure of taking visiting physicians, medical students and health care professionals on regular tours of our community. In a progressive town of 8500 there are many things to be proud of but my tours usually start or end on Wabigoon Lake fishing. Why? Because it's less than five minutes away to launch from the hospital, the myriad of islands form a wonderful backdrop that is truly breathtaking but the real thrill comes from catching some of the biggest and best fish around. Bass, Pike, Walleye, Muskie, Crappie, Perch, Sauger all populate the "Goon". Five minutes down the lake puts me behind any number of islands and the feeling of complete removal from city living. I grew up here, lived here 43 years and our lake has hosted the Professional Walleye Trail twice, the local Walleye Masters tournament for years and supplied thousands of anglers a lifetime of memories.
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
I truly believe that Wabigoon Lake is the best kept secret that needs to be shared. The Trans Canada Highway travels right through our town and thousands of people pass through Dryden without evening seeing our beautiful lake. I think we could utilize the funds to market the region better, support the tourist camps that depend on the lake for income and perhaps develop resources to ensure the lake remains healthy for future generations. I hate sharing secrets but this one is too good to keep.
Tell us in 500 words or less why your town is the Ultimate Fishing Town Canada?
Dryden is the true "wilderness city". Nestled between a multitude of lakes that offer true variety of fishing - including Walleye, Bass and Trout. The City of Dryden allows fishermen the opportunity to take on a different challenge each day.
How would your town benefit from a $25,000 community donation?
Increased dollars will enable Dryden to continue marketing itself. Increased tourism is important in this economic climate and the community donation will enable Dryden to focus on new opportunities of the future instead of disappointments of the past.